LAKELAND, Fla. — To say the season ahead is a critical one for Daniel Norris is an understatement, as he aims to unleash his potential while channeling the consistency that has eluded the supremely talented left-hander in recent years.

When he’s dialed in, his stuff is electric and his spirit is tenacious. But too often in his Tigers tenure, Norris has been hampered by injuries and riddled with bouts of erratic performances.

In approaching this past offseason, Norris aimed to rectify the latter, traveling to Peak Performance Project in Santa Barbara, California, where he trained in an entirely new way to prepare his body for the season ahead. The 24-year-old Norris, who has a wealth of interests outside of baseball, still made time to sneak in daily surfing jaunts, a trip to a memorable art show in Brooklyn, and to grow a beard that puts fellow starter Michael Fulmer’s to shame. And that's not to mention the time he has put in already with new Tigers...

SALE: Free trial and 30% off

Try The Athletic free for a week to get access to this article and more smart, in-depth coverage. Read and support quality journalism with this limited-time offer.